[EvoG]

Originally Posted by Fairygdmther

While this has been discussed here before, I realize you are new and probably haven't seen the discussions.

Yea I apologize for not being entirely thorough, and I know I've run across these threads having read here for quite some time...I MUST get past my n00b status!!

Originally Posted by Fairygdmther

1. Not everyone has Broadband, many still have only dial-up connections. And for many who live just off the beaten path, it is unavailable (except for satellite, which is expensive, and requires a dial-up for uploading). Even where I live, in Sarasota, in a suburban area, right near a major road, I am unable to get anything but Cable (or Satellite - but DSL, and wireless aren't an option). A long d'load is ridiculous for anyone with dial-up.

2. Having a disc copy makes it easy to load in a second PC - and for me that's an necessary option - PC's die - how will we be able to re-d'load it without paying twice? If a d'load is corrupted, will we have to pay twice to d'load it again?

3. There have been several indies who have sold discs from their websites, and have done quite well with it. Adv gaming sites are quite friendly to indies, and the interest is definitely there to purchase games directly from developers.

No doubt, which is why I WOULD definitely offer a CD(with slight added cost) and immediate shipping so the wait to have the game would be minimized AND allow for both methods to be available. Such as if the person DOES have broadband, they're free to DL the game and play while waiting for their hardcopy so they get the best of both instances. And never would anyone ever have to pay twice ever. Paying for a title is essentially paying for a license to have the game for life, as long as we both shall live.

Though I must ask...isn't cable broadband?? Thats what I have as do the majority of BB customers, and I'm getting 4mbits per second. A gig DL is really nothing a quick sandwich break can't alleviate.

Your number 3. is exactly what I expected and am happy to hear you say that, which was one of our impetuses to go that route to help lower our overhead.

Originally Posted by Fairygdmther

4. Another issue you didn't bring up, yet has been discussed, is the serial game. Gamers are leery of buying a game in parts, fearing that it will never be completed, and that they will pay a great deal over time for one game in serial parts.

Thought about this and decided against it for the exact reasons you provide. We wagered a player would much rather have a 10 hour game complete, than a 40 hour game in 10 hour chunks every 3 months. I think when a developer is recognized and has a solid reputation could they only then get away with such a method.

Originally Posted by Fairygdmther

I admire your attempt to bypass the publishers. You will have more creative license, more income from the game, and a lot of less grief to deal with. Self distribution is a hassle, but you will get more sales that way, by discussing the game at adv gaming sites, than the slipshod way publishers market adv games. I seriously hope you don't choose only a d'load approach. From what I've seen on other sites in discussion, you may cut your purchasers in half by doing so.

Thanks. Well you know, I've had my drive-by's with the way you-know-who does business and it sickens me. Some pub's rock but the biggest ones make it terribly difficult for smaller publishers and smaller dev's to participate. This shit baffles me. The clients I have to deal with have no CLUE what they're doing yet are given many millions to make the drivel they create. You guys might not have any idea how truly soulless many of these developers are.

Anyway bootstrapping is very alluring, again, for the exact reasons you give. IP control/ownership and I can make whatever the hell I want. That freedom has some serious value, hopefully not to just me but to you as well.



Cheers